Manhattan Perdition
by xercesawake
Summary: Miranda and Andrea spend a blissful weekend together. Miranda is on the verge of closing a secret deal with a company that would make her the most powerful woman in publishing. Life is good for the two women. But when New York City plays an unwilling host to the worst terror attack in history, Miranda finds her self right in the middle of it all.
1. Chapter 1

9.7

The load metal screech of the subway barely made its way into Andrea's consciousness. She clutched her brown leather bag to her chest, guarding its contents with one hand. While the other held on tight to a pole. Her mind was racing. Her big brown eyes stared at a scuff pattern on the floor as she sat in the empty subway car.

The lights of a passing station flashed by as she thought of what had occurred in the closet before Miranda left for the evening. She remembered most vividly the sound of the door being opened, and realizing she had not locked it. Miranda was standing in the doorway, her eyes glued to Andrea's half naked body. She remembered the terror she felt as she tried to grab at her chest to cover herself.

Miranda merely stood in there, her posture strong and her eyes a blue oblivion. Her stomach did acrobatics as Miranda watched her fumbling inside of the small dressing room to gather her things. She was amused by it, and smirked as she walked away. "Silly girl" she said more to herself than to Andrea.

Andrea had been infatuated with Miranda from the moment that they met. The feeling never faded, not even when Miranda had berated her on a daily basis for her lack of fashion sense, her 'heavy' frame, or the temperature of her goddamn coffee. Andrea lived for that smirk Miranda flashed when she had completely underestimated her.

A voice called out the next stop, shaking Andrea out of her train of thought. She hopped out of the car as the doors slid open. The tall apartment buildings towered over Andrea as she made her way to Miranda's townhouse. The Manhattan sky was starless. Sometimes it made her miss Ohio, but not enough to leave the life she had built in the city.

Whenever Miranda's townhome came into view she felt butterflies threatening to shake her insides. It didn't matter that she had delivered the book for 2 months now; the woman had seen her naked just hours ago. She wished on the starless sky that she wouldn't run into her. All she had to do was set the book on the table and leave.

She fumbled with the key in her pocket as she jogged up the steps of the town house. Out of the corner of her eye she saw curtains fall and a silhouette of a woman behind the third story window. She wondered briefly if it was Miranda waiting for her as she took a deep breath and went inside.

She held her body close to the door in attempt to make as little noise as possible. Andrea heard soft footsteps descending the stairs. Her heart pumped loudly against her chest. She reached inside her bag and pulled the heavy book out of its depths and sat the book on the table with a slap.

She was told the first time she delivered the book to get in and get the fuck out. Her first time had embarrassed her deeply. She never wanted to do that again. She contemplated fleeing, but the footsteps were getting closer.

Andrea could see the shadow grow on the wall as the person was almost in view. Miranda caught Andrea's eyes when she rounded the corner to the last flight of stairs and slowed her pace to a saunter. A cream cashmere dress clung to her hips and fell off of her at the shoulder.

"I was hoping I would catch you" Miranda said as she stepped off of the staircase.

She was barefoot and the dress revealed a generous amount of her thighs, she walked past Andrea to the mini bar. Andrea couldn't help but admire the older woman's curves from behind, she had never seen her in anything so small, and had never seen her so relaxed.

Miranda popped the cork on a bottle of red wine and poured two glasses. Andrea felt stiff, like she did not know what to do with her limbs, her eyes were wide and cautious. The way that dress clung to her body was enchanting in its perfection, she felt herself staring.

"Did you need something else, Miranda?" she inquired, averting her gaze to the shelves filled with an array of liquor in expensive crystal beakers.

Miranda turned around and held the glass to Andrea.

"A drink" She answered with a small smile. "How about you?"

She gently placed the glass of burgundy liquid into Andrea's hands and headed into the blue lounge. This side of Miranda was one that she had never seen before. She was a tough, no nonsense type of woman. She never spoke to Andrea longer than necessary and she never offered her anything.

Andrea sat on a deep blue chase and to her surprise; Miranda sat down next to her and leaned back against the arm rest. Her perfume was faint, but it made Andrea's head spin. Miranda's thigh brushed up against Andrea as she crossed her legs. Andrea drank her wine like it was a lifeline.

"You thought that I didn't know" Miranda stated quietly while sipping her wine. Her blue eyes were mischievous and Andrea could feel them burning into her. She wasn't sure how, but she knew exactly what she meant. Miranda sat her wine down on the table beside her.

"Look at me, Andrea" Miranda ordered, with a hand on to her chin. Andrea felt her skin warm and redden as she met Miranda's light blue eyes. She felt her eyes begin to water as Miranda ran her fingers threw her hair and pull her closer.

"Tell me" Miranda whispered only inches away from her face "that I have not lost my mind". The tightness in her scalp from Miranda's fist in her hair dizzied her mind, her eyes fluttered closed.

"You haven't" Andrea answered between heavy breaths. The distance between them was tortuous; it was all she could do not to bruise this woman with the passion she needed to release.

"I love you" Andrea said bravely as she tried to control her breathing. Tears fell silently down her face. Her emotions were pouring out of her like a flood. Miranda's breath against her neck sent currents threw her body. Andrea began to tremble, rendering her limbs uncontrollable. Miranda pulled her closer, and pressed her lips to her neck. Andrea struggled to catch her breath. She wrapped her arms around Miranda's body pulling her closer.

"I love you too" Miranda whispered between deep breaths.

Heaven was in their lips and divinity was the moment they met. Everything around them melted away. As if in slow motion; they felt every brush of skin, heard every inhale and exhale of breath, the ecstasy overwhelming. They embraced and the warmth carried them deeper together. They wanted nothing more than to go to bed, make love to each other in all the ways they had imagined. Having confessed their love was enough for tonight.

They fell asleep clinging to each other on the small chase lounge, uncomfortable in their positioning but at home in each other's arms.

* * *

9.8, 9.9, 9.10 & 9.11 coming soon!


	2. Chapter 2

9.8

Andrea woke as the sun pierced through the bay windows. She wondered momentarily where she was. Miranda's body was pressed tightly against her own from behind. Her body felt stiff, she was surprised that they were able to fall asleep like this.

Andrea turned over to face the fashion maven. She was not nearly as intimidating as she once was. She slowly opened her eyes. A grin spread across her face when she saw the young woman beside her. Miranda was striking in the rays of sun, her silver hair was platinum and her eyes a crystal blue.

"Good morning" Andrea said as she pressed her lips to Miranda's.

"Morning" Miranda muttered between their lips.

"I have to go home but I'll see you this evening" Andrea whispered. She circled the room, and found her heels under the couch and her leather bag in the corner of the room. She gave Miranda another kiss before flying out of the door. The sudden silence after she left disturbed Miranda. It had felt so good to just lay with the girl. Her body tensed at the thought of more.

Although it was the weekend, Miranda still had to visit the office. She was just days away from closing a deal with Spencer-House publishing that would make her the richest woman in the city within the next decade. She was in the process of taking over half of the company.

The deal was completely confidential; she had been working on it quietly with her lawyer for the past two years. She did not trust Irv to play fair forever; she would not let him bring her down. It would be Spencer-Priestly if all went well and she would own a large number of books, magazines, and newspapers all over the world. She fully expected to close the deal on Tuesday without a problem. It would secure her position as the most powerful woman in the publishing world and with all that money pouring in; she would be able to take some time off.

She stared out of the window of her office, admiring the golden hue in central park from a distance as the sun began to set. She thought of visiting the park with Andrea and her daughters; she smiled at the idea of a life at ease with her own little family, actually being able to visit the park only blocks from her home.

The deal was strangely distant from her mind; work had been all that she could think about for years. At the moment, her thoughts were of Andrea, and what they had shared the night before. Her mind raced with all of the possibilities, she thought briefly that she might even want to marry the girl one day. Something she swore she would never do again. She feared the intensity of her feelings. Yet, remembering those sweet brown eyes, Miranda felt her worry melt away. She sat at her desk, glasses at the bridge of her nose and several papers in a small pile beneath her.

"Emily" Miranda called out the open doors of her office. It wasn't long before a thin redhead stepped into the door frame,

"Yes, Miranda" She answered, ready for the onslaught of commands.

"Reschedule the Ralph Lauren shoot for next week, confirm Tuesday morning with Helena, pick up the blue gowns from Sandra, and in the same building you'll need to find Sebastian, he has a box of heels & belts for you" Miranda stood with a sigh and looked back out over central park, pushing her spectacles on the top of her head.

"I want you to make reservations for two at Daniel this evening and I also need 4 tickets for Blast on Monday night. After you have finished you may go home for the day, that's all." She finished and her mind went back to spending time with her girls. She heard a small thank you from behind her and then the click of the door being closed.

Miranda dialed Roy to have him pick her up in half an hour. She had a few articles to edit and emails to send before she left the office for the evening. She was already anxious to see Andrea again. A quarter before eight, Miranda was waiting outside of Andrea's apartment building to take her to dinner.

When Andrea stepped into the car she was smiling, she hesitated for only a moment before settling into the seat closest to Miranda. The proximity was torturous. All Miranda could think about were Andrea's big beautiful lips and how much she wanted to kiss her this very instant. Andrea let her hand rest on Miranda's thigh. The touch would have to suffice for the moment.

After they had eaten their dinner and were both on their third glass of wine, Miranda stood and offered her hand with a gentle smile

"I was thinking about taking the girls to the park Tuesday afternoon after they got out of school. Would you like to join us?" She asked as she led Andrea out of the Restaurant to wait for the car.

"Won't we be working?" Andrea asked shyly.

"I will be in a meeting in the financial district Tuesday morning and I planned to take the rest of the day off." Miranda admitted.

"Emily will be more than capable of handling everything, I don't see why you would need to come in at all on Tuesday" she said with a raised eyebrow.

"I would love to join you" Andrea smiled. They felt the lazy effects of the wine heavy their limbs. They leaned against the brick outside of the restaurant, simply staring into each other's eyes.

"Come home with me" Miranda said leaning close to Andrea, the expensive wine on her breath.

"I don't want to sleep all by myself" she teased with a lingering kiss on the young woman's cheek.

"Are you sure?" Andrea asked innocently, kissing her back.

Miranda's smile widened

"Yes" She whispered to her before she saw Roy pull up in her silver Mercedes.

When they arrived at the town house, Andrea felt herself begin to tremble, knowing what they were about to do and being the most nervous she could ever remember being. Without missing a step, Miranda lead Andrea up the stairs to her bedroom, pulling her by the hand behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

9.9

They woke late Sunday morning tangled together in Miranda's bed. They had stayed up most of the night discovering each other. From sating their desire when it flared to simply lying together in the dark and sharing stories from their past. Andrea spoke about her first boyfriend growing up in the suburbs of Ohio.  
She had been infatuated with him. He was senior when she was a freshman in high school. He was captain of the hockey team and the cutest boy at school. She talked about the times that she snuck out of her parents house to see him. even stealing her mother's car once to drive to visit him in the middle of the night. But even more than she remembered his face she remembered the fear she felt when her parents were standing in the driveway when she came back home. She laughed at her younger self, remembering all of the stupid things she did for love.  
Andrea had never slept with another woman before Miranda. During their conversations in the dark, Miranda revealed that she had had a brief relationship with an Art professor when she was studying in Athens. The woman was a professor in the history of architecture and recently divorced from the president of an Ivy League university. She was rich, beautiful and whip smart. They drank fine wine and traveled the country side, even snorkeling to visit sunken relics. When the woman took her to bed it changed her life. No one had ever made her feel so much is such a short amount of time. That is until last night.  
After that summer in Greece she went on to intern with a publication in Paris that would launch her career in the industry. She said it was one of the happiest times of her life.  
"I never heard from her again" Miranda said with a hint of nostalgia in her voice.

It was nearly the afternoon before they got out of bed. They moved a few feet into the large master bathroom, to bathe together. Miranda's tub certainly had room for more than one. The water was deliciously warm and it soothed every ache in their bodies. The bubbles wrapped around their chests sitting in the water together. Miranda lathered Andrea's shoulders with a fragrant soap, filling their sense with the smell of fresh roses. The sensation was a new heaven on earth.

After they had pruned in the water, they got out and had a quick lunch. Miranda suggested that they go for a cruise around the island in her yacht. Andrea was thrilled; she had yet to do any sight-seeing in the city since she moved here. She's been too busy. She once took her dad to the top of the Empire State building when he visited last year but other than that, she had only taken the ferry to one of the surrounding Burrows.

Roy at the wheel, the small vessel broke the glassy surface of the Marina. They made their way out into the open river. The couple huddled together at the back of the boat and looked up at the Brooklyn Bridge as it passed over their heads. A ferry full of tourists floated passed them, their passengers waving enthusiastically, shouting their love to Miranda as a few recognized her striking silver hair. Miranda blew them a kiss and waved back with a smile splayed across her face.  
The reflection of the dark blue water could be seen in the glass buildings as they cruised by. The Twin Towers reached into the heavens. They were both one hundred and ten floors high, making them the tallest buildings in the entire country. The sun was blindingly bright on their steel beams at this time of day that they were almost hard to look at. They marveled at the majesty of the concrete jungle in which they lived.  
The air was getting cooler the farther out they got from Manhattan. They approached Liberty Island and gazed up at the towering green woman that stood there, her torch held high.  
"This is much better than the ferry" Andrea said to Miranda, pulling her in to hold her close.  
"Indeed" The older woman smiled

"Shall we go up?" She asked pointing to the crown of the statue just before Roy pulled the boat up to the dock.  
Miranda hopped up onto the deck and tied the boat to the dock and offered her hand to Andrea. The woman was in her early fifties but she still moved with such feline grace that you would swear she hadn't aged passed her thirties. And god was she beautiful; her short hair tousled in the wind and her eyes a piercing blue in the early evening light.  
Miranda gave a nod to Roy to let him know that he was to stay with the boat. She held onto Andrea's hand and they walked leisurely up the dock onto the island. There weren't many people there; the ferry was off in the distance carrying away the last visitors.  
They walked inside of the base of the statue, and up the spiral staircase to her crown. An older couple shared the small platform with them. They looked out at their home that had only moments ago seemed impossibly large. When at this distance it seemed impossibly small. Like she could reach out and pluck it from the water.  
After the old couple made their slow descent down the stairs, they were alone. Miranda stood behind her young lover and wrapped her arms around her front.

"I've got tickets to take the girls to Broadway tomorrow night. They've been begging to go for weeks and I really want you to come." Miranda said, her chin resting on Andrea's shoulder.  
"Of course" She replied with a radiant smile, turning around to face the older woman, resting her forehead against hers.  
"I'm so crazy about you, Andrea" Miranda confessed in a low voice, her hands wrapped around the nape of the girls' neck.  
"How crazy" she teased. Giving her that look that she knew might get them into trouble.  
Miranda pulled the girls lips to hers, and they moved slowly against each other for a moment. They almost forgot who or where they were until they heard someone ascending the staircase beneath them. They pulled away in a hurry and looked back out of the windows to their city across the water.

Back at the townhouse Miranda and Andrea sat across from each other, wine in hand, waiting for the girls to come home from their fathers in Brooklyn. They opened a few windows to let the cool September air carry into the house, hoping the fresh air would relax the tension they felt just being alone with each other. They sat in her kitchen, the sounds of the city singing through the windows, and their eyes staring wistfully at one another. It took all the strength inside of Miranda not to take the young woman right then and there.  
The girls burst through the front door throwing their back packs on the table when they entered the room. They were both wearing matching yellow dresses, looking as cute as ever.  
"Hello babies!" Miranda cooed as she wrapped her arms around the bright young redheads.  
"How was your fathers' house?" She asked when she released them from her arms.  
"It was okay" Cassidy answered, her eyes lowered.  
"Dad had a big case in Jersey so we spent a lot of time with Maria." Cassidy sighed.  
"She took us to the zoo in the Bronx!" Caroline added with a wide smile that revealed a few missing teeth.

"Yeah! We saw the elephants and a baby giraffe!" Cassidy chimed in with a goofy smile that matched her sisters.  
"A baby giraffe! That's great, I'm glad you two had a good time at the zoo" Miranda smiled, trying to hide the anger she felt for her ex-husband. He never spent enough time with their daughters. He only had them 3 days out of the week; the least he could do was take them to the damn zoo for a couple of hours.  
Miranda pulled the tickets for Broadway out of her pocket.  
"We go tomorrow night" she said as she showed them to her girls.  
Their tired faces lit up and they squealed with excitement.  
"Are you happy now?" She chided as they wrapped their tiny arms around their mothers waist.  
"Yes!" they both proclaimed "Thanks Mom!"  
"Is Andy coming too?" They asked looking up at their mother and then at the young brunette sitting at the counter.  
"I am!" Andrea beamed at the bouncing young girls.  
Their smiles widened and they ran to share their hugs with Andrea too.  
"All right, time for bed!" Miranda sang as she pushed her girls toward the stairs.

"Awe, Mom! Do we have to?" They pleaded in unison.  
"Yes, It's a school night, girls. Now, move it!" Miranda said as she pointed to the stairs.  
"Tomorrow is going to be awesome!" Cassidy said to her sister before they grabbed their backpacks and headed to their rooms.  
Miranda smiled as she watched them climb the stairs, their little bodies crawling up each step.  
"It is going to be wonderful" Miranda joked as she sauntered over to her woman and slid her arm around her waist. Without hesitation she pressed her lips against the young girls, knowing that she would have to leave her to go home for the night.  
"I wish I could convince you to stay" Miranda groaned, pressing her lower body against her Andrea's.  
"We have to work in the morning" Andrea breathed. "We wouldn't sleep a wink."  
"Oh, fine!" Miranda huffed as she mustered up the strength to pull away.

"Stay with me tomorrow evening. You can lie in my bed all morning and then we can take the girls to the park when I'm finished with my meeting downtown"  
"I like the sound of that" Andrea smiled, pressing her lips against her lover once more.  
"Wonderful" Miranda hummed.


	4. Chapter 4

9.10

_The night was warm and a dense fog rolled through the streets of Manhattan. Andrea was walking beside Miranda on the sidewalk, hand in hand, strolling along the sidewalk together without a care in the world. There were other couples walking the streets in front of them. All of them men and women but they didn't acknowledge each other as they passed.  
The fog was thick and it seemed to consume every corner of the street. It rolled over them, darkening the street lights around them. Andrea looked at Miranda for an answer, but the woman was oblivious. Her eyes forward and her face without expression. Once the fog broke, the streets were deserted and everything was covered in a fine powder. She had never seen the streets so empty. It was eerie, like she imagined the end of the world to be like.  
There was no noise, not a car engine or the sound of their feet against the pavement. Andrea looked at Miranda and she too was covered. Her silver hair and beautiful skin muted by the fine white powder.  
Miranda's lips were moving but Andrea could not hear anything. She wondered if she had gone deaf somehow. The older woman was trying desperately to tell her something. Her eyes dark and her face sallow. She looked absolutely defeated.  
"I can't hear you!" Andrea shouted but even her own voice was silent._

Andrea was jerked from her dream by the sound of the alarm clock screaming in her ear. She woke to a dark room in her tiny apartment. She closed her eyes for a moment and remembered her dream, it was so strange. Everything was covered in powder.  
She didn't let herself fall back asleep, but she took her time rising from bed. With one final huff, she pushed herself into the bathroom. She showered and dressed quickly before heading out the door to meet the day.

The streets were alive with all walks of life. Business men and women hurried to the subways stations with children in their wake on their way to school. Andrea walked underground and managed to slip into a car just before it sped off down the tunnel.  
It was an excellent morning. She couldn't wait to get to the office and see Miranda. She knew that her boss would not treat her any differently at work, and she preferred it that way, but she knew working with her would never be the same.

She got off in the garment district to pick up the different fabrics and accessories that Nigel had ordered. She greeted a small Indian woman and without a word handed her a few bags of goodies. Andy thanked her and stepped back into the busy streets, tall white paper bags hanging from her arms.  
The ladies at Starbucks greeted her by name when she entered and already had Miranda's coffee sitting on the counter waiting for her. A small fruit smoothie was sitting next to it with the words 'happy Monday' written on the side. She gave them all a genuine smile and grabbed the warm coffee cup and the chilly pink smoothie.  
"The smoothies on us" A woman with a dark ponytail said behind the counter.

Elias Clark was as busy as ever. The Clackers were stomping their way across the lobby floor to their different destinations. Andy followed a few of them through security and shared an elevator car with five of them. She nearly gagged at the overwhelming smell of floral perfume. The girls really slapped it on today. She tried not to breath until all of them got off at the floor before hers.  
Andrea sat the coffee on Miranda's desk and situated all of her papers in a neat pile for her to review for the day. Emily peeked around the corner and told her to hurry up, the devil was approaching.

Andrea stood beside her desk at ease, listening to Miranda spouting off demands to her team following shortly behind her. The fashion maven paused for a moment in front of Andy to hand the girl her purse. She winked at the young woman when she caught her eye before turning around to allow her to pull her jacket from her shoulders. Andrea smiled at the woman, sat down at her desk, and watched her disappear into her office, feeling her cheeks redden from the flood of heat she felt just looking at the woman.

It was a long day. Andrea had been running between different departments shadowing Nigel. He began his monthly tirade on all the people who did not seem to want their jobs enough. He was always making sure that everyone was doing there absolute best; no less would ever be tolerated. She stood quietly behind him as he ripped the graphic designer apart.

"Mindy, hey, are you busy" he smiled innocently at the unsuspecting young woman.

"I've got a minute, what's up?" The girl replied setting down her pen and focusing on the man towering over her.

He pulled out the pages she sent him that she designed for a spread on vintage Italian handbags.

"Do you think this is acceptable? Why did you choose this font? The color scheme is atrocious, is that mustard yellow?" Nigel began brutally dissecting the pages in front of them.

Andrea felt sympathetic for the designer when Nigel told her it was some of the worst work he has ever seen. It was hard to watch, the poor girl had no chance.  
When she was permitted to go back to her desk she sat down to return an email when her cell phone lit up with a new message from Miranda.  
'Meet me downstairs in fifteen" the text message read. She couldn't help the stupid smile that spread across her face.

"What are you smiling about, six?" Emily chided from across the room.

"Nothing" Andrea answered a bit too quickly.  
Emily's eyes narrowed, she stared questioningly.

Miranda emerged from her office and Andrea stood to hand the woman her purse and to slip her jacket over her shoulders. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary between them to the naked eye, but they were fighting the urge to reach out and touch.  
Exactly fifteen minutes later, Andrea turned off her computer and grabbed for her purse.

"Where are you going?" Emily barked

"Home" She smiled innocently at the fiery redhead and walked away.

Miranda was sitting inside of her silver Mercedes waiting for Andrea, returning personal e-mails on her blackberry. Roy opened the door for the young brunette as she approached. She slipped in and immediately wrapped her arms around the beautiful silver haired goddess.

"I've been dying to do this all day" She sighed, smiling into Miranda's chest.

"Me too" Miranda said in a soothing tone, rubbing the girls back in slow circles.

They rode back to the townhouse and came home to two very excited little girls. The twins split up and hugged both Miranda and Andrea, squeezing them tight.

"Are you two ready to see the show?" Andrea laughed, kneeling onto one knee to speak to them on their level.

"Yes!" They answered enthusiastically.

"Well, your mom wants to go change. So, were going to run upstairs and then we can leave. Okay?" Andrea said as she stood and ruffled the hair on top of their little heads.

"Ugh! Andy!" they both protested, their hands flying to their heads to fix their hair.

The two women climbed the stairs together. Andrea trailing slightly behind Miranda, watching her hips as they worked to climb each step. Miranda looked over her shoulder and saw that the girl was fixated on her backside. She looked forward, hiding the wicked grin that spread across her lips.  
When they entered the large master bedroom, Miranda began to peel off each piece of clothing from her body before she walked into her closet to browse her collection. Andrea watched the older woman trying to decide what it was that she was going to wear. Her body bare and firm, but plump in all the right places. She finally decided on an emerald green dress with black suede pumps.

Miranda paused to press her lips against her lover's cheek, as she tried to put her earrings in. Andrea pulled her closer to kiss her lips. Electricity surged between them, nearly knocking the breath right out of their lungs. They allowed themselves to indulge for a moment, letting the kiss deepen and hands roam but only for a moment.  
The two redheads piled into the silver sedan first and then Miranda and Andrea followed shortly after. The two women held onto each other the entire car ride to the theater. Her children noticed and smiled shyly up at their mother.

"Mom, Is Andy your best friend?" Caroline asked her head tilted to one side, her eyes curios.

"Yes, she is my very best friend" Miranda said in a voice soft with affection.

Roy dropped them off in front of the theatre. They all stepped out of the car one by one and under the bright lights of the entrance. There were already people piling into the auditorium. Miranda walked down to third row center and they settled into their seats, waiting for the show to begin. Andrea noticed several people whispering and staring at them around the theater, all having recognized the famous fashion editor. Once the lights dimmed and Miranda reached for the young woman's hand in the dark, she forgot about the people around them.

They emerged from the theater a couple of hours later. Creatively intoxicated from the performance and craving something sweet. They all decided that Ice cream was an excellent idea. They ducked into a nearby ice cream parlor and sat down in a corner booth to enjoy their tasty treats together.

"Mom, my birthday is in three months!" Caroline announced, bouncing on her feet, holding three fingers in the air with strawberry ice cream around her mouth.

"I know" Miranda smiled as she reached out with a napkin to wipe the mess from her daughters face.

"It's my birthday too!" Cassidy added loudly, not wanting to be left out.

"How old are you two going to be?' Andrea asked with a fond smile, licking her ice cream cone.

"Seven!" They chimed together

"Wow, where are you going to have your big birthday party?"

"Well, Caroline wants to have it at the Hayden Planetarium. But I really want to have it at the central park zoo!" Cassidy exclaimed her bright blue eyes wide with excitement just at the thought of it.

"They both sound awesome! I hope I'm invited!" Andrea said cheerfully.  
The little girls shifted in their seats, and giggled

"Of course you're invited! You're mom's best friend!" Cassidy said with a big bite of blueberry ice cream melting in her mouth.  
"You two are so messy, I should just dress you in ponchos" Miranda said when she noticed that both of their dresses had drops of ice cream on them.

They stepped back out into the street and Roy was already waiting for them with the car door open. The ride home took longer than it normally would; the traffic was awful this time of night in this part of city. The girls dozed off together in their seats. Miranda rested her head on Andreas shoulder with a small smile. Her daughters adored her 'best friend'. It gave her a sense of relief to think that they would handle their relationship a lot better than she expected.

When the car rolled to a stop in front of the townhouse Miranda climbed out first and unbuckled Cassidy from her seat, picking her up under her arms and holding her on her hip. Andrea did the same with Caroline and they carried them upstairs to their bedrooms. The girls were cranky when they were woken to change into their jammies but they lifted their arms when told and then crawled under the covers and fell asleep within moments.

Once the two women were alone in Miranda's bedroom, they removed their clothing quickly and slid under the covers together. They pressed their bodies close, and rocked against the pressure they found. Wet flesh slid against strong thighs, causing shocks of pleasure to surge in both of them.

Miranda rolled her body on top of Andrea and held her arms down above her head. She positioned herself between the young woman's legs and pressed against the warmth she found there. She leaned down and blew on the brunettes' nipple before taking into her mouth to suck and bite. She writhed beneath her, little moans escaping her lips.

Her movements were slow and methodical. She took her time teasing the girl. Her heart lept at ever little sound she made. Her hands caressed her and held onto her hips as she settled between the young woman's trembling legs. She bit her inner thigh; drawing a low groan from above her.

They danced through the intricate steps, conquering each beat. Their pace was slow. They desired to savor each second. There was no control, just instinct. Their bodies slid easily against each other, coated in sweat. The hushed sounds they made were feral in their pursuit of release. They brought each other to the brink and rode the waves that carried them out to sea


	5. Chapter 5

**9.11 PART I**

* * *

5:00 A.M

Miranda woke to a blue light streaming in through her curtains. The sun was beginning to rise over the city. The sound of car horns and engines sang through the windows, the score of her city lulled her in a way no music could. The room was cold in the early morning, but she was warm under the covers.

An arm was wrapped around her waist and she recognized it immediately as Andrea. The amount of comfort she felt knowing that she was there, was unmatched. She leaned over to pull the sleeping brunette from her dreams with a kiss.

"Andrea, darling"

The young woman's face frowned being pulled from sleep. She slowly opened her eyes. The residue of makeup smudged beneath them, making them look darker than usual.

"I have an early meeting in lower Manhattan" Miranda whispered against her lovers pouting lips, combing her fingers through the long dark hair.

"Stay" the brunette begged halfheartedly before pressing her lips more firmly against Miranda's.

The revelation of their love had sent them both spiraling into bed together the night before, and they could not seem to get back out again.

Andrea tugged Miranda's bottom lip between her teeth, and slid her hand between their bodies. The move made the older woman groan viscerally.

"Oh god…I…Cant." Miranda sighed, her breathing erratic. Her slender body betrayed her and began to tremble as fingers teased her beneath the blankets.

"But you want to" The brunette grinned.

Andrea threw the covers off of them and made her way down Miranda's pale stomach. She glowed in the morning light like polished marble, her body so perfect in its shape and color that it seemed like fantasy. The cold air wrapped around them and their bodies broke out in goose bumps that multiplied under Andrea's ministrations.

"How do you do this to me?" Miranda moaned watching her lovers' torturous descent.  
She caressed the young woman's face and lovingly brushed the hair from her brown eyes as she settled between her legs. The intensity of the stare was overwhelming; it seemed to magnify all of her senses. Her head fell back against the bed and she grabbed at the sheets when she felt the first swipe of Andrea's tongue against her.

In that moment they were alone in the world. The sounds that sang through the room were feral and getting progressively louder and more guttural with each flick of the tongue. Miranda slapped a hand over her mouth and bit down on her index finger, attempting to hush the sounds still poured from her like a flood. She felt she could explode upon release.

5:30 A.M

They collapsed, both bodies still wrenching from climax. They gasped for air, their naked chests heaving with the effort. They stared at one another with a heavy dilated look in their eyes. They already felt the swell of desire rising again. Miranda wondered if she could ever get her fill. She looked at the small analog clock on the nightstand, and nearly jumped out of bed. She definitely needed a shower after what she just did, and did not have much time.

"Go back to sleep" Miranda said with a final kiss before rising out of bed.

"I'll be back before you even know I'm gone."

6:10 A.M

Downstairs, Caroline and Cassidy were sitting at the table eating their breakfast. Their nanny Maria had already gotten them up and ready for school.

"That won't be necessary, Maria. I do not have enough time." Miranda said as she noticed the plate of food set out for her on the counter.

"Okay, I leave out for Andy?" Maria suggested with a mischievous grin. The Vietnamese woman was busy scrubbing dishes in the sink, and did not see Miranda's micro expression of contempt. Her nanny loved to give her a hard time.

"I don't care what you do with it, Maria" Miranda replied evenly.

"Where are you going?" Her daughters called out to her as she scurried around the first floor, her high heels clacking across the dark wood floors.  
"Mommy is going to a very important meeting in the North Tower today" Miranda explained pacing the room, trying to find her blazer. She was going to throw a fit if she could not find it. It went perfectly with her blouse.

"Have you seen my black blazer, with the gold trim?" Miranda asked the nanny from the other room.

"It is in the coat closet, put it there this morning." Maria answered from the hallway, her hands dripping with soapy water.

After checking the coat closet again she found it hiding between two large fur coats.

"It does not belong here" she said quietly to herself as she pulled it from the hanger.

"I'll be back before you get home from school. She kissed her daughters on top of their bright red heads and headed for the door.

"Love you" she called out before shutting it behind her.

Roy was outside and waiting. He held the car door open for her as she approached him. The day was already beautiful. The sky was clear and blue, a rare day in Manhattan. _The park will be quite nice this afternoon_ she thought to herself as she slid into the open car door.

Miranda was not nervous, after years of meeting with some of the toughest in the business and none of them as tough as her, she just got anxious. She hated long meetings, and this one was scheduled to be over three hours. She was already thinking about going home and crawling back into bed with Andrea until the girls came home. She had to push such thoughts out of her mind. Although this meeting was going to be a drag, it was the most important meeting in her career, and she had to stay focused.

Turning onto Liberty Street, Miranda could see the twin towers glowing orange in the rising sun. The meeting was on the eighty-fifth floor in a conference room. She was already dreading the elevator ride up; she knew it would be crowded. She did not officially work for the company yet, so they insisted that she ground herself. She could not expect bankers and traders to clear out an entire elevator just for her. None the less, she still felt apprehensive about sharing one with so many people.

6:55A.M

Roy pulled up in front of the North Tower and let her out. The lobby was packed like a hive; every worker was just arriving for work. She felt anxious and knew that meant she needed a latte. She could not drink that cheap shit that they brewed at these meetings; she needed more caffeine than that these days.  
She joined the crowd of people, blending in quickly in her black pant suit, but standing out with her striking silver hair and beautifully painted face. She found her remedy at a coffee shop in the lobby, ordering an extra shot of espresso just to take the edge off. She followed the surge of people up the escalators and to another cluster of people waiting for elevators to their floor while sipping the hot brew in her hand. When she finally managed to catch an elevator car, she waited in the corner to reach her final destination.

7:15 A.M

Miranda walked through the offices of Spencer-House to a conference room on the north face. There were phones ringing and people busy at their desks. A few people raised their heads to see the silver goddess stomping past them in all her glory, but most did not pay her any mind, they were all engulfed in their work. She liked it here already.  
When she pushed open the heavy door to the room she was pleased to see her lawyer, John Brill, was already taking care of some of the paper work.

"Miranda!" A tall dark headed man said as he stood from his chair on the other end of the room.

"I'm glad to finally meet you"

"William Spencer" The young man introduced himself with a firm handshake.  
He was boyishly handsome with a glint of naivety in his eyes. Miranda had talked to the man over the telephone but had never met him until now. He mentioned that he liked to spend most of his time in the Hamptons.  
From little research she gathered that he had a severe case of agoraphobia; therefore he rarely did business in the city. He had inherited the company from his father but she was quite surprised to see how young he was, he didn't look a day over thirty. He was notoriously hard to work with, which is why they offered the job to her. William would handle twenty percent of the company, while Miranda would handle the other eighty percent. William would collect a much larger salary from the company, but she would be paid a ridiculous sum for all her hard work that would make her _1.5 million_ dollar salary at _Runway_ look like pocket change.

"Michael Knapp, Ms. Priestly. Chief Operating Officer" A large man stepped in with a tight squeeze to Miranda's hand. He was around her age; he sported a crew cut and wore a very expensive suit.

"This is Kelly McDuff, stock market guru and president on our board of directors." Michael introduced a tall, fit redheaded young man. He had a strong jaw, and thoughtful eyes. Miranda wondered briefly if she had seen him on a runway. The young man nodded toward her in acknowledgment, he was busy with his nose in a stack of papers.

"This is Abby Carteret, she serves as our vice president on the board" he pointed to a plain looking woman standing by the window looking down at city like she would rather be anywhere but here.

"And this is my assistant Helena Clare" He said while motioning a scholarly, middle aged woman over.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Ms. Priestly. I am looking forward to working with you" The woman beamed while shaking the editors hand incessantly. Miranda gave the woman a once over. Red Manolo's, a brown Chanel blazer and a charcoal grey pencil skirt. _She must read runway_, she thought with a smile.

Once introductions were made, they all sat down to start reviewing and rewriting the conditions of her contract with the company. The stacks of papers were rather large. Her lawyer looked over each document meticulously. He was old as dirt but he was a fast reader, and one of the most successful attorneys in the state. She trusted him more than anyone to get this right.

8:30 A.M

There was not a lot of talking; everyone was huddled over a piece of paper. Miranda sat with a pen next to her hunched old lawyer. His eyes magnified by his large glasses scanned the page at lightning speed. She was ready to start having some real discussions, she wanted to share her ideas about how she could improve and expand the company. She had several ideas for using her publishing power to sponsor impoverished schools around the nation. The move would greatly soften the public's view of a company that had a somewhat scarred reputation. From that program would sprout brand new opportunities for profit and domestic employment.  
She stared out at the city through the enormous windows. The view was truly magnificent. She noticed out of the corner of her eye, the young redheaded man looking at her from over the top of his steel framed glasses.

"Have we met before Mr. McDuff?" Miranda asked after a moment. He smiled shyly and leaned forward.

" Mr. McDuff was my father, I'm Kelly" He replied in an Irish lilt. "My brother looks exactly like me. He modeled some years ago" He explained.

"I see" Miranda replied with a pleasant smile.

"He gave that up long ago and moved back home" He chuckled to himself. "The industry was a bit much for him."

"It is not for everyone." She replied with a small laugh.

He looked into her eyes and smiled gently. He looked remarkably like the girls' father when they first met. He was an Irish catholic with generations of family having lived in New York.

The smile on Kelly's face faded to concern as his eyes were focused on something outside. He jumped out of his seat, shoving papers onto the floor, startling everyone in the room. They followed his gaze and saw what looked like an airplane peeking out from behind the empire state building, heading toward them at a terrible speed.

"GET DOWN!" he screamed seconds before impact.

Miranda was thrown against the wall with such force that it knocked the breath out of her and she felt a sharp pain in her left leg. The building shook and she was sure for a moment that it was going to topple over. It felt like a sick rollercoaster that she was not strapped in for.

The smell of gas filled the conference room and smoke began to seep in from under the door. The pile of papers they had been going over meticulously had been flung all over the room. The alarm rang inside and the sprinkler system began spraying the room.

Once the initial shock wore off Kelly jumped up and ran over to nearest person, Michael Knapp. He had been forced head first into the windows on impact, and he was not moving.  
Miranda noticed the bloody dent in the thick glass, and knew he must be dead, but did not say a word as she watched the young redhead crawl to his friend.

"Mike! Listen to me buddy! We're going to get you some help!" The young redhead screamed over the sounds of hell around them. He started doing chest compressions and counting them out loud, the large man's body shook as two fists shoved down on his chest but was not responding.

"He's fucking dead!" Kelly wailed, running his hands through his hair.

He took off his wet jacket and laid it over the body on the floor. Helena sobbed quietly in the corner for the man she had worked with for fifteen years. The rest of the room was agape. Miranda slowly rose from the floor. Her left ankle had been crushed by the table and she was sure it was broken. Her ears rang in protest to all the sounds.

"What the hell is going on?" Abby screamed from the somewhere near the door. She had been thrown from standing by the windows to lying on the other side of the room.

"What kind of idiot crashes into a building? I mean, how could he not see us?" She said as she stood and brushed herself off.

"They meant to hit the building." Miranda barked, standing on her good leg, hand at her hip.  
"No respectable pilot would allow his plane to crash into a building. They would have crashed into the Harbor. It was aimed right at us!" She exclaimed hooking a thumb behind her toward the windows.

The girl shrank into the corner, still completely convinced that it was an accident.

Smaller explosions rang out above their heads. They all stood silent and listened. Miranda looked wearily up at the ceiling, blinking the water out of her eyes.  
"This is not good. I have a really bad feeling about this."

"We have to get out of here!" William panicked. He ran over to the door, it would not open. He started to kick the door.

"He's right, we can't stay in here" John Brill said from the other side of the room as he sat up and put his large eyeglasses back on. The left lens was cracked and bits of glass fell out of the frame.

"The room is filling with smoke, and that fire is right above us and right outside that door" He explained as he struggled to get to his feet.

"What!" William said as he ceased his assault on the door, his eyes wide, pure terror the only expression on his face. This was his worst nightmare, they all knew it. They were all scared but not nearly as scared as he was.

Kelly helped John to his feet and the old man started looking around the room.

"We need to get through that wall, that's the only way out" he pointed at the wall around the door. He opened a small storage closet in the room. It was filled with pens, pencils, staplers, and several water cooler jugs.

"Won't we be rescued?" Abby asked timidly from behind the old man. Trembling as the water sprayed down on her.

"I Imagine that thing cut right through the core of the building, that would knock out most, if not all the elevators, meaning rescue has to come up the stairs, we don't have time for that. We're on our own up here."

John said with a determined huff, rummaging through the small supply closet.

Abby stood next to the cracked windows and looked down to the streets below. She could see people were gathering in clusters, and rescue vehicles flashing down every street. She wondered exactly what the people were seeing when they looked up at her, but she knew it wasn't good.

"The letter openers, there metal! Grab one and start knocking through this wall!" He exclaimed as he grabbed at the knife like tool.

Kelly and John stabbed at the wall with the long metal pieces, making quick progress. Water dripped from their brows and their faces were red from the effort. Helena pulled off her soaking wet blazer and held it around her mouth and nose. She motioned for Miranda to do the same.

"It will make it a bit easier to breathe" She called out.

William had sat down in the corner of the room in a ball. He seemed to be praying to himself, trying to gather his wits. No one was sure what was on the other side of that wall, but their only fighting chance was to break through and try making it to a stair well. Something William knew he must do, but dreaded the adventure out, because he knew he would see and feel things that would haunt him till the day that he died.

* * *

Andrea had not been able to fall back asleep after Miranda left for her meeting. How could she? She tried to go back to sleep, but she was too worked up. She went downstairs just in time to greet the twins before they went to school. She sat down with them and ate breakfast. They chatted until Maria called for the girls at the front door. Their ride to school had arrived. Maria came back in after walking the girls out to the car and plunged her hands back into soapy water to clean the dirtied breakfast plates.  
"You like Ms. Priestly?" the small Vietnamese woman asked quietly with a shy grin. Looking over top her cheap black framed glasses.  
Andrea couldn't help the silly grin that spread across her face at the question. She tried to pull the smile back in and turned her head away from the nanny.  
"She like you" she stated, placing wet white plates onto a towel to dry.  
"What makes you say that?" Andrea asked, she could feel her cheeks burning.  
"She not as bitchy, she smile now" Maria explained "also I never heard Ms. Priestly make noises like that this morning." Her smile was wide and mischievous.  
Andrea's face turned bright red and her stomach turned, _oh god, did her children hear us? _She thought to herself. The look on her face said it all and Maria's grin disappeared.  
"I was doing laundry on third floor; girls were still sleeping when I heard. Don't freak out!" The lithe middle aged woman said wagging her index finger at Andy.  
She felt relieved but still embarrassed. Miranda's nanny had heard them making love this morning, it was a rather un settling thought, but knowing it was only Maria, she supposed if anyone had to hear it, she would rather it be her.

While Maria cleaned the rest of the townhouse, Andrea went back to Miranda's bedroom and decided to take a long hot bath. Her gut reacted to the overwhelming smell of her lover as she lathered herself in Miranda's expensive soap. It was almost strange to smell her and know she was not there. She closed her eyes blissfully and breathed in deeply, her mind flooding with memories of last night and this morning.

The sound of the impact shook the windows. It startled her from her daydream. She flung bath water all over the floor. She thought for a moment that it was an earthquake, but had never felt one in the city before. She wrapped a towel around herself and walked out into the hallway. She heard sirens blare outside, and a TV click on in the living room across the hall. She followed the sound.

Maria was standing in front of the television, with a hand over her mouth and tears falling from her eyes.

"Ms. Priestly!" She rasped

"What?" Andrea asked, her heart sinking into her stomach as she registered what she was seeing on television.

"Witness to what he describes to be a twin engine plane, possibly a 737 passenger jet, flying into the world trade center and it appears to be in embedded in the building."

"Miranda is in there!?" Andrea screamed, sprinting from the room.

She ran into Miranda's bedroom tossing the towel on the floor and pulling her clothes on. She dumped the contents of her purse onto the bed to find her cell phone. Her wet hair dripped onto the white linens and her gut sank low at the scent of her lover. She tried not to panic, but her hands were beginning to shake. The idea that Miranda might be dead or in danger made it hard for her to control herself.

A cell phone rang somewhere in the darkening room, but no one could see it. Helena picked up a soaking purse from the floor and pulled the cell phone out of it.

"Who is Andrea?" she asked the room.

Miranda jumped toward the woman and grabbed the phone from her hands, hissing at the pain in her leg.

"Andrea!" She cried into the phone.

"Are you okay!?"

"I'm in a Conference room on the eighty-fifth floor. I… We're trapped" Miranda shook with pain.

"We're breaking through the wall right now" she added trying to calm the young woman on the other line and herself.

"It looks really bad Miranda; I can see it from here! Please get out of there!" Andrea begged, witnessing the inferno from a top the roof of the townhouse on the Upper East Side.

"I'm working on it." She assured her. Sounds of coughing and banging could be heard in the background.

"What does it look like?" The older woman asked, not sure if she really wanted to know.

"A big hole at the top of the tower, the whole skyline is filling with smoke!"

"Andrea, listen to me."

The young woman took a steadying breath, and wrapped an arm around her torso, in attempt to get a hold on herself.

"If I don't make it out of here, I want you to make sure my children know how much that I love them, and how much that I love you" The soft voice was strong on the other end of the line.

"You're going to get out, Miranda!" the young woman sobbed, "You have to get out!"

Andrea heard the scream of a jet plane, it was incredibly close. She was sure it was a fighter jet sent to protect the city.

She watched the plane circle over jersey, something didn't feel right.

"Miranda! There's another Plane!" She screamed just before the plane flew into the south tower and exploded in a giant ball of fire and black smoke.

The townhouse shook beneath her feet.

"Miranda!"

"Miranda? Are you there?"

The call had disconnected.

Andrea frantically dialed the number again, and again. Nothing, not even a ring.

9:03

The sound was deafening, the explosion shook their bones. Miranda had fallen over during the second impact, throwing her phone across the room. It landed in the growing inches of water on the floor.

"Fuck!" she said harshly as she regained her balance.

Everyone seemed to be fine physically, but William was crying silently in the water on floor, hugging his knees to his chest.

"Right, we're almost out of here!" Kelly called over out over his shoulder as he stabbed at the crumbling dry wall. He looked through the small opening into the offices outside. He shook his head slowly.

"There's fire all over the place, I can't see much else."

"We can use those barrels of water to help douse any fire on our way to the stairwell" John added while taking his peek through the hole.

The dry wall was becoming easier and easier to cut through as it was dampened by the water spraying from the ceiling. They had cut a big enough hole to crawl through. Kelly stood up motioned for John to go through first.

The old man grunted as he squeezed through the hole. "Slide some of that water out here, will ya?" He called out from the other side. Kelly shoved two barrels through the hole and shortly after Helena, William and Abby crawled through.

Kelly and Miranda were the only two left in the conference room. They could hear William sobbing on the other side of the wall. Kelly offered a hand to ease the pain on her ankle as she got to her knees to crawl through. He followed out shortly behind her.

The scene was horrific. It looked nothing like the office she had just walked through an hour before. Half of the ceiling had collapsed and was burning. The fire was bright orange and she could feel the heat against her skin, in her lungs, on her hands and under her feet as she stood. John was already pouring a generous amount of water from the barrel over a small fire in front of them.

The stairs were in sight. They were all slowly following John in single file. One step and Miranda cried out as pain shot through her ankle and up her leg. Kelly caught her before she collapsed onto the floor.

"I don't think I can walk on it" Miranda said in a voice shaking with pain.

The older woman was trembling, the pain was excruciating, like nothing she ever felt before. The slightest bit of pressure sent her into violent shakes, the added stress around her seemed like it was all too much for the posh fashion editor. Her hair was wet and slicked back, her black blazer discarded in the room behind them. Her blouse ripped in places from the metal in the opening. She felt helpless.

"I'm going to pick you up" He said just before he swept Miranda off of her feet and over his shoulder, she hung on tight to his dress shirt.

"Please don't drop me!" She screamed

"I won't drop you miss" He assured her. "I've got you"

She did not want to but she trusted the young man, she hated being picked up, but did not resist and hung her head. Not wishing to see the horror erupting around her.

She heard the metal click of the stairwell door and she finally felt like she could take a breath from the relief of knowing it wasn't over yet.

The air was thicker in the stairwell. The breath of relief was filled with heat, scorching her throat.

They all struggled to take small breathes so to limit the pain they all felt breathing in the burning air. They held tight to the railing, even it burned their hands like they were touching the fire itself. The stairs were littered with debris, and soaking wet from the water sprinklers.

The all scurried down the steps; Kelly holding tight onto Miranda over his shoulder.

"You can put me down now" She said dangling over the back of him.

"Not yet, just a few more floors and I'll let you walk." He grunted, repositioning his grip on Miranda's legs.

She looked up at the stairs flying past her head, afraid that one might knock her out. They were on the seventy-third floor before they ran into anyone. Fire Fighters passed them in the stairwell, handing them water bottles and telling them to continue down.

Once they were out of the impacted area Miranda was set on her feet to walk on her own. Kelly looked exhausted, his face was red and dripping with sweat, the stairwell was still incredibly hot, a muggy wetlands kind of hot that drenched your body in moisture. They took each step slowly, with Kelly's arm around her waist for support.

They were on the thirty-first floor, they stopped to gather their breath. The stairwell felt cool and dry down here, it was an incredibly to go from completely destroyed, to completely intact. Miranda leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes for a moment, taking in a sharp breath, fighting the tears that threatened to break through. She would do anything, give anything, to be with her family right now.

9:59 A.M

Suddenly they heard a loud explosion and then a deafening rumble. It was the worst sound Miranda had ever heard. It was so loud and awful that she knew it was death. They all looked up and tried to place the sound, but as it got louder and more terrible they were all sure that this was it, this was death, racing toward them like a freight train from the sky. They ducked and covered their heads, praying that it wasn't true. The lights in the stair well went out and the only sound was silence.

* * *

**REVIEW FOR A QUICK PART 2**


	6. Chapter 6

**9.11 PART II**

Miranda's heart was racing; she could feel it pounding in her head, beating the breath out of her lungs. Her vision blurred and her head felt uncomfortably light. Her legs gave out beneath her and she landed on the cool concrete floor with a slap, out cold.  
_ She was inside of a small closet, peeking through a crack in the door. Her mouth hung open and her eyes welled with tears in the small sliver of light. She saw several men rummaging through her apartment. They were loud, throwing clothes and furniture across the room. Miranda did her best to back herself into a corner when they came near the closet door. She hid behind a rack of clothes, silently pulling garments from the floor on top of her body, in attempt to camouflage herself as a pile of laundry.  
The scratch of hangers being moved at once along a metal railing screamed into her ears. Her wide blue eyes met dark, dangerous gray ones. A terrible grin spread across the man's face, she knew exactly what he was thinking. She stood quickly and tried to jump past him but he grabbed her with one arm and she landed to the floor with a thud.  
"Look what I found" The man with gray eyes called out to his friend.  
"Oh my, She is lovely" An older man said wickedly, his eyes black.  
Miranda's hair was long, and a wavy dirty blonde. Her skin was tinted bronze from sun exposure over the summer. It was a dark contrast to the small white night gown that clung to her body. Under the gaze of these men she felt the need to cover herself, suddenly all too aware of the amount of flesh she exposed.  
The old man took a step toward her and she took two steps back, giving her best 'fuck with me' face she could muster.  
"She's feisty too… I like that" His voice low and predatory. He grinned and revealed a row of perfect, wet teeth. They looked like veneers; they seemed too large and too perfect for his mouth. His lips were thin, his entire face unnerving, something especially evil in his eyes. They were so dark he seemed to be without iris'.  
"Don't you come any closer to me!" her voice was loud and threatening, hot tears pouring down her face. She imagined her-self as a small dog, barking madly at them while her little body danced around their feet, biting at their heels, knowing she was defenseless against them but not giving a shit.  
She took in her surroundings. Her eyes wandered toward her bathroom, she thought of running for it and locking herself inside.  
As if reading her mind, the men encircle her, like a weak animal surrounded by a terribly hungry pride. She considered the window, jumping through the double paned glass to escape these demons in her apartment. Anything to spare herself from what was about to happen. The old man pulled a knife from his pocket and it was at her throat within seconds. The other two men closed in behind him, eager to witness the assault.  
"My buddies were looking for a good time" His voice raspy and playful at her ear. His hand pressed harder on the knife against her throat. They put their hands on her body, callused fingers slid over her torso. The sensation sent shivers of revulsion through her body.  
"And since you don't have a god damn thing of value in this apartment, You're it." He shoved Miranda onto her own bed. The other men held her arms down at her sides, The old man made quick work of his zipper.  
"No! No! You can't do this to me!" Miranda screamed, thrashing her body about the bed. The two men at her sides tightened their grip on her arms. Their throaty laughs made her blood boiling hot. These hideous, monstrous men were about to violate her in the worst way anyone ever could, she strained against their crushing grip but simply was not strong enough. They ripped her nightgown off of her. She let out a scream that tore through the night. The small man backhanded her across the cheek. He spoke close to her ear, his breath hot, reeking of smoke  
"Make one more sound and I will cut your pretty little neck" his words were harsh, every syllable dripping with evil. She snapped her mouth shut, and looked at the ceiling; her eyes spilling with tears. She struggled to escape the moment. She closed her eyes to imagine anyone, anywhere, anything else. _  
Miranda felt warm water splash over her face, Kelly's voice calling her name. Another splash of water across her face, and her eyes snapped open, but she couldn't see a thing, everything was black. She felt hands on her body, startling her, bringing images of the three men flashing into reality. She let out a blood curdling scream that echoed up the dark stairwell.  
"Miranda! It's okay, You're fine!" Kelly grabbed for Miranda's hands in the darkness, trying to calm the woman down from whatever it was that she thought was happening.  
"It's going to be okay" Helena's voice said softly, her hand reaching out to assure the shaken woman.  
She sat trembling with pain and fear on the concrete floor. A lump of emotion swelled in her throat remembering the incident that had crippled her for years and the stress that had caused her hair to grey before she turned thirty. She combed her fingers through her hair, breathing deeply, pulling all of the emotion back inside of her. She couldn't afford to lose it now.

The building groaned in the darkness. Her head throbbed from all of the loud noises and being knocked around.  
"What do you think that terrible sound was?" Helena's asked.  
Everyone was silent but breathing quickly.  
"I'm not sure" John replied in a voice heavy with concern.  
"I don't care what it was; I just want to get the fuck out of here!" William said in a voice thick with tears.  
They could hear his feet shuffling nervously, and the scared little sounds he made trying to find the next step down in the stairwell.  
The deafening sound that seemed to go on forever had shaken through their bodies, leaving them feeling panicky and weak on their legs. William was imagining all of the things that would fit that horrifying rumble, and they all involved a terrible, violent death. He knew this nightmare wasn't over yet, and he had lost the will to be strong.

John reached out and grabbed the whimpering boy in the darkness.

"Listen, Son. We're all scared but we have to keep it together" He yelled before he released him.

"You don't understand old man!" William barked, his words echoing down the stairwell.

"I've seen things that I would never wish on my worst enemy. Two tours in Vietnam, I seen a lot of shit, lost a lot of men" John spoke heavily.  
"I do understand. I know your father died in a fire, and that this is must be very difficult for you" John said softly  
"We've come too far to break down now. When were out of this building, you can freak out all you want but until then, we fight every step of the way."  
They heard someone ascending the staircase below them. A fireman rounded the corner with a flashlight. His dirty face looked weary. His mouth pressed against a radio transmitter yelling different commands. He stopped and reached into his pocket to give them a small flashlight.  
"Sir! What was that last sound we heard? Do you know?" William asked the rescue worker in a hurry.

"Get out of here right now, and don't you stop for nothing" The sweaty fireman said, looking them all in their eyes, communicating quite clearly that he meant what he said. His body looked small in his large yellow and black protective gear, his helmet nearly too big for his head, cheeks were reddened from his ascent, and a dark mustache covered his upper lip as he panted for breath. He continued past them to hell at the top of the tower. They watched him climb, two stairs at a time before he disappeared into the darkness.

Kelly picked Miranda up off her feet again without warning.  
"Sorry, Miss. You're too slow" he apologized when she squealed in surprise.  
That small beam of light was there only salvation in the darkness. The sounds of their footsteps echoed down for what seemed like forever, not a word exchanged just the collective sense of imminent danger that propelled them faster down the stairs.  
The air was getting cooler and easier to breathe as they approached the lower floors but they didn't slow down. Kelly was fighting the urge to collapse with the weight of the woman on his shoulders. Her body felt light eighty stories up, and now he felt like he might break under the weight, but he showed little distress and persevered.  
They slowed at the last flight of stairs, a cloud of dust lingered in the air, rising from beneath the door. William shoved past the group, kicking open the door and disappearing behind it.  
"William, stop!" Helena called out to the fleeing young man.  
There was little light; their small beam of light illuminated all the flittering particles in the air. Everything was covered in a fine dust. Papers and debris scattered across the floor. They were absolutely alone. It was an odd contrast to the crowds of people they were all used to seeing flow in and out of this building.  
They stepped lightly, kicking up dust in their wake. Kelly repositioned Miranda and wrapped her body around his front, holding her like a child. Miranda buried her face in his shoulder, trusting this young man to get her the hell out of here.  
Several large windows were blown out, their glass as thick as three inches, had just been shattered. Large slabs of marble hung off the walls. It was clear that something had happened in the lobby. They were disoriented for a moment, nothing looked as it once had just hours ago. When they found an exit they ran through it out into the street.  
The sunlight seemed to energize them like a shot of adrenaline to the heart. They all ran as far and as fast from the building as they could, running several blocks before they even considered stopping. They heard what sounded like gunshots behind them. Kelly slowed to a walk with Miranda still holding onto him as tightly as she could. He stopped in front of a small pizzeria before he set the woman down onto her foot.

In the daylight Miranda could see her ankle clearly. It was already blackening just looking at it sent a fresh wave of pain rolling over her body. Kelly pressed a finger to her neck and showed her the blood that had dripped from her ears.  
"You must have had a pretty bad concussion" He said, looking over the rest of Miranda's body.  
She had several small cuts in her clothing, some had broken the skin. Then he saw her ankle and cringed at the sight of it. The skin was tight from swelling and bruising a dark blue.  
Miranda could not believe her eyes. Never had she seen her city like this before. Everything was covered in a fine powder, the streets, the buildings, the cars, and the people. Everyone passed them with the same defeated posture, the same look on their face. She wondered what the hell had happened; it looked like war had broken out in the streets. Kelly gasped when he looked up at the skyline that was once ruled by the world trade center and only saw one tower.  
"It's gone!" Kelly said with wide eyes "The south tower is gone!"  
She could not believe her eyes. The north tower stood alone beside a settling cloud of dust. She couldn't process it. The towers are made of steel and concrete, built to withstand these kinds of assaults, but the south tower had completely failed. The sound that had knocked her out in the stairwell, was the sound of that 110 story building raining down on the city.  
Miranda clutched her chest; she felt a terrible pain shoot through her that had nothing to do with her ankle or her concussion. It spread like fire in her throat, forcing tears down her face. A woman jumped from one of the highest floors, every moment of her descent to earth like a dream, falling gracefully till the end. The sound of a gunshot identical to the ones they had heard moments earlier. It was not gunfire at all. It was the sound of a life ending.  
It was a miracle they were able to get out. Before she could even finish her thought she felt and heard an explosion, followed by that terrible rumbling sound she heard inside of the stairwell. The building began to sink beneath the falling floors and a fountain of debris rained down on the city. The fall met no resistance, and occupied the entire sky like an atomic explosion in reverse.  
"Holy shit!" Kelly bellowed watching the building disappear before his eyes.  
A cloud of debris raced toward them in a fury, like a terrifying monster that multiplied and rolled through ever street on a murderous rampage. Kelly lunged at Miranda, shoving her into a small Pizzeria and laid his body across hers in a booth. John, Helena and Abby followed shortly after, piling in under the table on top of each other, bracing for the coming shit storm.  
The cloud consumed them, shrouding the small restaurant in darkness. The dust invaded every crevice of their bodies, filling their mouths and noses, making it difficult to take a breath. They're eyes burned and all they wanted in that moment more than anything was this nightmare to be done, for it all just to be over.  
The sound seemed to rumble through the streets forever. Miranda had not felt terror like this before, her mouth and her nose filled with microscopic concrete, steel, glass and god knew what else. It made her feel like she would suffocate before it ended. She was nearly never able to stay in her home alone after what had happened to her as a young woman, as traumatizing as it was, it did not compare to this panic. She was young then. Now she has a career and a family. She valued her life much more than she once had. This was pure terror, this wasn't the fear of dying, it was death. It was slow and torturous, a hell inside her own head. The only image in her mind that of her children, their faces wet and soured by their tears, receiving news of her death.  
Then there was silence, the only sound heard was that of a strong breeze sweeping through lower Manhattan carrying with it the remains of what once were the twin towers.  
Kelly slid out of the booth and wiped the dust from his face. Miranda sat up and spat out all the grit that invaded her mouth. She started coughing uncontrollably, heaving a terrible black mess into her hands. She gulped at the air around her, she had never been so thankful for breath. She stumbled to the nearest trash bin and leaned over it, her body retching, trying to purge itself of the toxic mess. She ran her hands through her hair, when she finally managed to stop.  
They heard someone behind the counter and looked over, several people were huddled in a corner, beginning to stand up and brush themselves off as well. People were coughing and pouring water over their eyes for relief from the terrible dust in the air.  
"We've got water bottles behind here!" A man behind the counter rasped.  
They all walked toward the voice, the air still dusty around them. They took a bottle each and Miranda sat back down at the booth she had just sought salvation in. She cracked open the bottle of water and took a generous swig, it was wonderfully cold. She poured the rest of the water over her face and in her hair, letting the liquid rinse away the filth. The water dripped from her head, and over her chest, darkening her powdered clothing.  
Kelly did the same, pouring the entire bottle over his eyes and in his mouth. He sat the empty bottle on the dusted table and bowed his head, his posture tense. Miranda was sure that he was about to break down but he lifted his head, eyes red but his expression blank. He seemed determined to keep it all at bay for now.  
"They said anyone of these buildings could blow up next!" Miranda heard a woman say on the other side of the pizzeria, causing her to whip her head around.  
"Who fuckin' knows. They hit the pentagon too! Anything could happen!" A dusty bald man replied in a thick Yankee accent.  
"I really need to get home to my family" The editor said, her voice heavy.  
"I do too." The redhead responded, standing up with a huff.

They all said their goodbyes, and went their separate ways. Miranda limped out into the street, the young man trailing shortly behind her. They didn't look behind them; they didn't want to see what they knew to be true. All they wanted was to get home and away from this madness. They walked several blocks, ash raining down on them as if a volcano were about to erupt nearby. They found several rescue workers along the street tending to masses of injured.  
"You should let these people look at you. They might be able to help." Kelly suggested as they walked by. She knew that she should, but she wanted to go home.  
She shook her head silently and kept walking; her head hung low and her shoulders sagging. She was sure she had never looked so pitiful.

The two made slow progress crossing a street when a dusty sedan honked at them. Miranda looked at the driver, her iciest glare she could conjure at the ready. Her heart leapt when she saw that it was her Mercedes and the driver was Roy. The large man opened the driver's side door and ran to her.  
"Oh God! I thought you were dead for sure!" He said pulling the petite woman in for a hug, completely crossing every professional boundary between them without a care.  
"I can't tell you how happy I am to see you" she said with a weak smile, looking into her drivers shining eyes.  
"Please, Take me home"  
"Sure thing Miranda" Roy said wrapping an arm around her waist, guiding her into the car.

**THE FINAL PART IS COMING SOON! PLEASE REVIEW!  
Thanks for reading :]**


	7. Chapter 7

**Final** -**Thank You for Reading**-

* * *

Andrea sat in front of the television, her eyes glued to the horrible images it flashed before her. Her heart was hammering so hard against her chest that she worried it might escape. The south tower had fallen ten minutes ago, leaving only the North Tower standing. The last Andy heard Miranda was trying to tear through the wall to get out of a conference room. For all she knew Miranda was still trapped up there.

Nigel and Emily sat on either side of her, grief weighing heavy on their features. They all wept quietly, fearing the worst for everyone in the vicinity of the trade center. Andrea had called her friends after she lost contact with Miranda. They both rushed over as soon as possible.  
The girls felt the impact of the planes from their school, and could see the dark smoke in the sky. Maria came to pick them up after Andrea lost contact with Miranda. At the moment Maria and the twins were in the corner of the room. The two small redheads clung to their nanny tight, unable to understand exactly what was going on.

Andrea stood and stared out of the window, looking out into the street. She hoped she might see Miranda but there was no-one. Just hundreds of pieces of paper rolled through with the breeze.

Everyone gasped in unison, their eyes wide and red. It startled Andrea, she was still looking out the window, but she knew what it was, she just knew. She looked around the room at everyone, shock, anger, sadness, all played on their features. They witnessed the North Tower tumble toward the earth at an incredible speed, spraying its guts across the city. The rumble reached the townhouse, and the electricity went out for a moment.

Andrea felt like she was surly going to pass out. She braced herself against the wall as a terrible sinking feeling rolled over her, her every heart beat pumping a dull pain that spread through her entire body, and pulsed in her heart like the blue of a flame.

This morning she was the happiest she could remember ever being. Miranda's beautiful face was the first thing she woke up to. Her tousled silver hair, bright blue eyes and lovely grin was the only thing she could see. And all she could think, was _she's gone_. She had only just begun to explore the depths of the woman. She would never see her, talk to her, smell her or hold her again. It was the cruelest thing she had ever felt.

Nigel stood up and walked into the hallway; both hands covering his naked head in disbelief. He wanted to be alone for a moment. It didn't make sense. Miranda was superwoman. He thought her to be invincible. He thought this country to be impenetrable. Coming to the realization that his boss was not superwoman and that his country was vulnerable to such an attack shook him deeply.

Emily sat slumped on the couch, crying into her hands, not caring about who witnessed her weeping or who didn't. She silently bargained with some higher power, any which would listen, that she would gladly endure whatever it took if a they could turn back time and change it all.  
Caroline wiggled her way out of her distraught nannies arms and ran straight for the front door, opening it with ease and stepping outside.

"Caroline!" Maria called out as the little girl made her escape. Andrea was closest and ran after her. When she got outside she broke out into a run, Caroline was already down the street, her tiny body carrying her along quickly.

"Stop!" Andrea screamed as she pumped her arms to move her body faster. After some contemplation the little girl slowed and came to a stop. She turned to Andy, her baby face full of sadness and confusion.

"We have to go help mom! She needs us!" The small child yelled, tears rolling down her freckled cheeks. Andrea knelt down to her on the sidewalk, and wrapped her arms around her tiny body.

"We can't go down there, we have to stay here and wait for mommy to come home." Her big brown eyes were wet and swollen with emotion, her nose red from all of the tissues she had gone.

"Do you think she's dead?" Caroline asked, wiping her eyes to make way for fresh tears.  
The questions surprised Andrea, it shouldn't have. Both of the girls were very intelligent. It just seemed so strange coming from such a small creature.

"I don't know" was all she said before she picked Caroline up under her arms. The girl did not resist, she squeezed Andrea tight, feeling comforted by the closeness of her. They walked back into the townhome and she set her down.

"Why don't you go be with your sister? I need to talk to Nigel and Emily."

"Okay" The little girl said before she turned toward her sister and her nannie and made her way to them; her head down.

Andy walked into the kitchen. Nigel and Emily were sitting at small table with a large bottle of Vodka sitting in the middle of it, three glasses beside it. Nigel and Emily stood when Andrea entered and they both stared at each other for a moment before they wrapped their arms around her. The three of them mourned the loss of the most amazing woman any of them had ever known.

"_Runway_ will never be the same." Nigel said with both arms around the two women.

()-()-()

The car ride back was eerie. The streets were mostly barren, and coated in that toxic yellow dust. There were masses of people walking in one direction, away from the world trade center. Only a handful ran toward the madness. Miranda hung her head, and she heaved a deep sigh.

No words were exchanged the entire ride, both Miranda and Roy were somewhere else, their eyes distant, reliving the horrors inside their heads. Miranda felt tense, and oddly energetic, adrenaline still flowing through her veins. She made a great effort not to think about the pain in her leg, it seemed to help if she just refused to acknowledge it.

When Roy came to a stop outside of the townhouse he hurried to Miranda's door to help her out. He held her waist while she made slow progress up the stairs and into her home. She was barefoot and limping, dust falling from her shoulders as she walked into the foyer. She thanked Roy with a hug and gave him a look of great gratitude.

"I really appreciate you, big guy." She said. He nodded solemnly and stepped back outside. He headed home for the day to be with his own family.

Andrea had heard the noise and made her way toward the front door. Her heart leapt at the site of Miranda. Relief flooded her limbs and poured from her eyes. She was also startled by her appearance. She looked like a wreck. Blood, dust, dirt, and soot covered the woman. Her normally impeccable appearance was nowhere to be seen.

They wrapped their arms around each other. They both shook with their sobs; the hysterical noises they made alerted the rest of the house of their presence.

"Momma you're alive!" Caroline cried before she clung to her mother's hip. Cassidy quickly followed and was at her other side. They both buried their heads in the dusty clothing, relieved to see their mother again.

The remaining guests all stood and watched the reunion; all feeling like some of the weight of the day had been lifted, like they could breathe a bit easier knowing that this woman had survived.

A morning that had felt like hell had taken a slight upturn. Thousands had died in targets all across the country and Miranda had been right in the middle of it. She had survived, in spite of all of the odds. They all breathed a sigh of relief knowing that they had their woman back. They all shared in the pain felt by the entire world, physically feeling the grief inside of them for every life lost in those few hours.

After a while everyone left. Miranda let Maria go home. Nigel and Emily left shortly after, only to visit another friend whose husband had gone missing earlier. The townhome was oddly silent and after all of the noise that morning, Miranda welcomed it.

"You're all dusty mom" Cassidy said as she released her mother's hip from her hands.

"I know bobsey, I'm going to go take a shower and I want you and your sister to go to your room and pack a bag." She explained, brushing the bright red hairs from her daughters' eyes.

"We're going to stay at the house in the Hamptons for a couple of days, okay?"

She forced a big smile, and nudged the girls up the stairs watching their quick ascent. The two redheads chattered about what they were going to bring with them to the beach. They were so young they didn't understand the gravity of the entire day. Their young minds were already thinking of sandcastles, and riding boogie boards on the mild ocean waves. What bathing suits they were going to bring, and what outfits for their Barbies' they were going to pack.

Miranda wanted to get out of the city. There were rumors floating around about bombs in other buildings, bombs in cars, nuclear bombs, even a biological attack. She wanted to escape the hysteria. She was getting her family out. She looked at Andrea and the young girl was still weeping, tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I'm home, darling. Everything is going to be okay" Miranda said, as she gently wiped away the mess of tears on her young lovers face.

"What do you say we get out of town for a while?" Miranda whispered, her hands cupping the beautiful brunettes face.

"I would like that." Andrea whispered back, with a strained smile.

Andrea helped her up the stairs to her bedroom; they made slow progress, the pain in her ankle beginning to rear its ugly head. She did her best to keep pressure off of it, but climbing stairs with one foot, even with assistance, was not an easy task. There was no big man around to sweep her off her feet and carry her up the rest of the way. The thought of Andrea trying amused her though.

When they were finally inside of her bedroom, she closed the door behind them.  
For some reason, now that she was completely alone with Andrea, she felt like the flood gates were being opened, and there was not much she could do to keep all the emotion inside. She had fought so hard to keep it together and something about this young woman made her feel like she could, that it was okay.

Andrea couldn't imagine what the woman had seen, the horrors she had lived, and was reliving at this very moment. She struggled with how to comfort her; she wasn't sure what she could do. But when Miranda's eyes began to swell with tears, and the pain she felt inside could be heard by the sounds that emanated from her chest, it was instinct at that point just to hold her.

They stood in the middle of her large bedroom for a while. Andrea didn't say a word; there was nothing she could say. She just let the woman cry and she did her best to sooth her through the pain.

After the initial waves of emotion receded Miranda let go reluctantly. Andrea nodded and followed the limping woman into the bathroom. She watched the dusty woman peel off each piece of clothing and set them in the sink. Her body was bare and pale in the natural light streaming in through the windows. She looked badly beaten with bruises and cuts littered across her perfect porcelain skin.

Andrea stepped into the shower after Miranda. The older woman stood with her arms over her torso, feeling an odd chill engulf her body. She leaned on her good leg, and let her head fall back, running her fingers through her hair, allow the warm water to rinse away the filth.  
Andrea was careful to touch her lightly; she lathered her in a fragrant blue soap. Careful not to hurt her, she washed away the dried blood, dirt and soot. When the water rinsed her body clean, Miranda felt the difference. While the pain in her leg seemed to be getting worse, she felt like she was finally able to take a deep breath.

Once Miranda rinsed the soap from her hair she pulled Andrea close to her. Just wishing to feel her body against hers, the contentment in that moment allowed her to forget. Skin against Skin, the warm water and this feeling, were all that existed. They kissed slowly, love poured into every movement and every touch.

"Be with me always, Andrea" Miranda said as she pulled away from Andreas lips.

"Always" the young woman replied, caressing the weak fashion editor in her arms.

Even though they had only been together for a few days, they felt a connection that they hadn't felt before. Even after years with other partners, they never experienced a love so intense, so all-consuming.

Living through a day like today only proved it to them that they were supposed to be together, their fates were intertwined. Miranda had learned so much about herself that morning. The idea of leaving behind two babies and a young lover was unbearable.

She was looked forward to spending a week away from the city, somewhere far away from tall buildings, airplanes and people. Somewhere that had always brought her peace, where she always went when she needed to get away.

She needed to get away in order to begin to heal herself, she needed to separate herself from it just long enough to spend a couple of days alone with her family. No _runway_, no phone calls, no distractions. All she wanted to do was to enjoy life. She realized that life is short, and that the best way to live it is with the ones you love.

* * *

_-Never Forget-_


End file.
